Don't know why I can't figure out how to start a new post instead of just replying to someone else's... Oh, well. Anyway, I just wanted to say I've been having a blast reading all of the posts here, & I wish I'd joined a lot sooner than I did!

-Alicia

P.S. Hey Daniel - look what I found! (If I can get it to work, that is...)

it was just what we needed Doug - some music and a fabulous speech to kick the party into gear again! *Elven gets out tuba* (everybody runs into the kitchen )

Thankyou for dropping by ... tORN is a great family home indeed! There's always a welcome sign at the door and the porch light never goes out.

Cheers Elven x Swishtail.

Tolkien was a Capricorn!! Russell Crowe for Beorn!!Avatar: Liberace - The other Lord of the Rings.

Quote of The Week: The thing is I always write in the morning, and I know that if I go to the Net I won’t write ... you can start in the most scholarly website and end up at Paris Hilton dot com .. GdT

Thank you so much for your kind words - I'm so thrilled that you're interested in my new project, and that you've enjoyed my past work, as well. I'm so grateful for the ongoing support and encouragement of the wonderful people in the Tolkien community! I agree: here's to another ten years. Cheers! Amy H. Sturgis, Ph.D. Visit My WebsiteVisit My Blog

"I give you this toast: To the Hobbits. May they outlast the Sarumans and see spring again in the trees." - J.R.R. Tolkien, 1958

Thanks a million for your kind words! I'm so grateful for the friendship, support, and encouragement of the Tolkien community all of these years. How the time has flown! Here's to another decade...! Amy H. Sturgis, Ph.D. Visit My WebsiteVisit My Blog

"I give you this toast: To the Hobbits. May they outlast the Sarumans and see spring again in the trees." - J.R.R. Tolkien, 1958

Hello there! It's great to connect with you - I think of you every week when I get my Sayid fix. I'm glad you send your students to TORn, too! Sometimes they think I'm so nerdy (well, I am), but TORn is an amazing resource. I couldn't agree more (both about being so nerdy - I definitely am! - and about TORn being an amazing resource). I hope we'll be able to compare notes on teaching and writing at another convention.I would love that! I do hope our paths will cross soon.

(Speaking of which, is there any chance you'll be at the World Science Fiction Convention in Montreal this August?)Amy H. Sturgis, Ph.D. Visit My WebsiteVisit My Blog

"I give you this toast: To the Hobbits. May they outlast the Sarumans and see spring again in the trees." - J.R.R. Tolkien, 1958

And where have I been for the past few days to take so long to respond?

I've thought of you so much, and of how this wouldn't be a complete party without you here. Oh, Dear Sir... you are missed and still very much a MASSIVE part of TORn for me!

I've loved your guidance at all of our conventions and cheered whenever you appeared.

The very first thing I read in TORn was a link from the "official" site to your Green Book series "Where the stars are strange". It's still one of my favourite things to read that carries me into this magic journey we've all taken together through Tolkien's world via Jackson's eyes.

Thank you for all that you have done and been for us. I DEARLY hope to see you again at the conventions and Oscar parties for The Hobbit(s).

*warm hug*

All good wishes to you. ...In honor of .........TORN's annual......Founder's Day Celebration...........Established 4/26/09

And it's perfect that you're here to share it with us. You've been so great about keeping the fire of our passion alive with your honorable book on Howard Shore's music for The Lord of the Rings and the heroic effort to give it the reverie it deserves. You've done so much to keep ME excited about the films and the music... and I can't WAIT to finally dive into your work :D

Cheers, Sir... and here's to many, many more years! ...In honor of .........TORN's annual......Founder's Day Celebration...........Established 4/26/09

What a gracious compliment :) Tolkien really has crossed over all forms of "entertainment"; to include text, games, film, music, television, etc... but most profound to me is the social interaction that has come about. A qualitiy of Tolkien, to be sure, is to communicate, share, inspire, and maintain. I find that at TORn every day.

Thank you so much for sharing in our celebration :D ...In honor of .........TORN's annual......Founder's Day Celebration...........Established 4/26/09

Thanks so much for letting us see it! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories

Lovely to see you here!!! Please send my warmest regards to your family.

I echo your thoughts about the joys of making art. It is work, but it is work that is a pleasure. There is no greater privilege. And to be able to enjoy this great privilege in the friendly surroundings of home and green gardens...I cannot expect more of this life. Putter in the garden by day, draw and paint all night. What a happy life! I can't decide if it's all hobbit or all elf!

That was just about the coolest thing ever! It's 12:43 am and I just woke Mr. Losse up to see it. He wasn't quite as thrilled as I am, but that's just the sleep talking. Thank you all so much for taking time out to celebrate with us. This is one of my favorite "places" to be and some of the best people to be with. It's so wonderful that you're all a part of it, too! I have to admit that I'm giggling through my tears. I'm just an emotional wreck. I just can't say it enough, so "thank you, thank you, thank you!" *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thank you so much for taking time out of your incredibly busy schedule. It's really quite humbling. My TORn map is one of my greatest treasures. Thanks for sharing your remarkable talents and time with us! *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I was literally just reading my CC booklet again this week!
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What a thrilling and wonderful way to celebrate this wonderful place and the amazing people here! Thank you Doug, for the amazing work that you have done and continue to do, and thank you Altaira for passing his message along! *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I was wondering how big the LoTR commemorative trees got in Willowbank Park in NZ that were planted in 2004 so I emailed the Friends of the Tawa Bush Reserves and Richard Herbert there was kind enough to take a few photos to show how much they've grown. He said they're about 12-feet tall - about double the height than when they were planted. Yay! I can't wait until I make it to NZ someday to see how big they've grown!